Too Much (Sequel to Baby Pogue) // JJ Maybank

45. bruises

Another week of River's school had passed. Well, almost. It was Thursday and River was loving everything about school. She loved her teacher, her friends, what she called her boyfriend, and even learning. She loved writing her name and learning the days of the week, the months, and how the weather was. That was her favorite part; putting the weather stickers on the weather board. She crossed her fingers everyday in hopes that Ms. Tee would choose her.

Ashton groaned as River ran around his apartment with a piece of candy in her hand. He swore to his sister that he would not give her any but that lip that she gives him melts his heart.

Ashton agreed to watch Skye for a few hours and pick up River from preschool while Avie and JJ went to look at a couple potential houses.

He could not believe it. His baby sister getting ready to buy her first house. Well, more so JJ was buying the house considering he was the one that worked full time and Avie only picked up some shifts at The Brew as needed. It was not often but it brought in some extra spending money for whatever the babies wanted.

Avie showed a few pictures to Ashton earlier in the day when she was dropping Skye off and he could not believe some of the houses that they could afford. He remembered the days watching his parents struggle to raise three children until two moved out and one passed away. They no longer struggled. Financially anyway.

But to see his sister and her boyfriend able to afford some two story houses was insane to him. Ashton did not really struggle with money considering he lived on his own in a small apartment on the rough side of town and had no financial obligations of his own. That he knew of anyway.

But here he sat, watching Skye crawl around and put his mouth around some toys while River ran around the coffee table with M&Ms in her hands. Ashton groaned, flinching every time River almost knocked Skye's seated position over.

"Rivvy, be careful. If something happens to you or Skye, I'm dead." Ashton rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers before sighing and raking his fingers through his hair as the girl ignored him.

Skye giggled as the small amount of hair on his head flowed in the breeze of River running passed him. He took his attention away from the toy and watched his sister. He clapped his hands then went on all fours to crawl to her in attempt to catch up behind her.

River paused suddenly and placed her palm against her mouth to eat a handful of M&Ms then continued running, not seeing that Skye was crawling around the coffee table. Unable to see his small body and being far too caught up in her energy spike, her feet met with Skye's bottom as she tripped over him, shoving him flat on his face and sending her falling over him and banging her head into the coffee table.

"River!" Ashton stood up quickly and grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling completely but failing to stop her from hitting her head.

River stood up straight to look at him before her eyebrows contorted and showed her delayed reaction to the painful hit. Her lip quivered before dropping her other fistful of M&Ms and throwing herself into her uncle's chest to cry.

Skye placed his palms beneath his shoulders and pushed his chest up so he could turn his head and look at what happened. Thankfully, Skye was not injured and had endured way worse from his wild sister. Skye liked to take some risks too as he began growing up but nowhere near as much as River would.

Ashton sat himself on the couch and pulled his niece between his legs and against his chest, placing one hand on her lower back and rubbing her upper back with his other hand. "You're fine, Riv, it's okay. Look, Skye is worried about you."

River ignored his words and breathed heavily, her shoulders meeting her ears before dropping them and letting out a cry that was muffled by Ashton's chest.